As much as Diversity and Inclusion have become ubiquitous over the last several years, many people still don’t fully grasp these concepts. Why? It’s not that these terms are complex, and it’s not that people don’t sincerely want to understand them. It’s because, in the excitement, sheer “newness,” and the traumatic circumstances that brought these concepts global attention, the urgency and eagerness to learn, expand perspectives, and create social change left insufficient time to understand some of the new ideas adequately.
In other words, a quick adoption can lead to incomplete comprehension.
Although this can be corrected easily through discussion and explanation, that doesn’t negate the immediacy of this correction. Because executing new policies or attempting to engage in constructive conversations with a partial understanding will lead to confusion and may go against the positive outcome you’re working towards.
This clarification will pull from a method Assata Shakur used when defining the concept of freedom. She said, “I can’t tell you what freedom is. I can only tell you want it isn’t.”
So, to understand what Diversity and Inclusion are, we must discuss what Diversity and Inclusion are not.
Diversity is not the individual; people themselves are not diverse. When you view people as such, you’ve already made a misstep. This creates tokenism or superficial engagement. People come from diverse backgrounds, and that diversity of experience is the benefit—the team benefits when the team is diverse.
It must be approached as “We need a diverse team with broad lived experiences in order for our organization to be more innovative. How do we create a selection process that attracts and hires all types of talent?” and not “We need to hire a [insert demographic identity here] person so our team looks more diverse and we do not appear [racist/sexist/homophobic/xenophobic here].”
Diversity is not a line item or a box to check. The concepts of Diversity and Inclusion deal with people at their more intimate levels – who they are, their voice, and agency. So, we must remember that this is a holistic process that requires humanity. An impersonal approach will contribute to an environment that isn’t conducive to diversity – an environment that isn’t inclusive.
You’ve hired a beautiful array of multicolored faces, but what are you doing with them? Are they utilized? Do you engage with them? Are they included, or just left alone like a stranger?
Diversity and Inclusion are not the same. Many times these terms are used almost synonymously, which indicates an apparent misunderstanding. Inclusion means to be welcomed, included, appreciated, and valued the same as any and everyone else. Again, these concepts are holistic, so Inclusion involves culture, attitudes, and behaviors. For example, if you hire more women to “improve diversity,” but the culture is still a very “boys club” male-centric and possibly sexist, then we haven’t created an inclusive environment – we’ve created discomfort, tension, lack of safety, and a problem waiting to happen.
Many describe Inclusion as “having a seat at the table.” Now, think of the Peanut’s comic. Franklin was the only Black character, and during the Thanksgiving special, he sat alone, across from everyone eating together like a family. Franklin was a person who “added diversity,” but it was evident that dinner wasn’t inclusive.
By understanding the distinctions between Diversity and Inclusion and gathering a better understanding of what they are, we can forge better conversations, implement genuine changes, and eliminate unnecessary roadblocks that stand in the way of a more fair and just society.